The combination of events in the coming week is making me more stressed out than I’ve been in a long time. Mostly, I just want it to be next Friday afternoon already! So if you are a ‘send thoughts via the internet’ sort of person, I could sure as heck use some. Additionally, I am very, very grateful to have the knitting to cling to.

Ahhh, a finished pair of socks. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a finished pair of socks for myself! These are the Monkey pattern, in Socks that Rock, ‘Rooster Rock’. Helping me with these was my brand-spanking-new digital kitchen scale, which was quickly put into operation on the knitting workbench next to the swift and ball winder. I divided the skein in two halves to make sure I didn’t go over half a skein for either foot. I’ve got Size 11 feet and STR lightweight is not kind to the large-of-foot with only 360 yds. But I did manage to squeak it out, with 7 grams left to spare. I should have stuck in a few extra rows ;)

I love it. I want to pet it just for being its digitally accurate, yarn-weighing self. I mean sure, it’s supposed to be measuring flour and butter and things like that, but surely yarn is a far nobler pursuit.

In current WIP news, I’m happy to present Ribby Cardi #3. I did in fact knit myself one for Rhinebeck this past October, but a combination of factors left me with a sweater at least a full size too big. Rather than convince myself i could make it work by wrapping it around myself unbuttoned, I gave that one to my mom. The first one I knit on purpose as a gift. So, I definitely hope this one sticks!

This is Briggs & Little Regal, in Grape for the body and Red BWO for the sleeves. I motored through the body all in one piece and now that I’ve gotten to the sleeves the mojo has faded a bit. Slow and steady, right? I’ll just have to keep putting in the time. Winter’s still here for another few months.

And in final ‘clearly-my-stress-is-affecting-my-brain’ news, go ahead and guess what I found in my sock yarn stash box when I was sorting the stash on New Year’s Day. Go on, guess. If you guessed half a dozen mini liqueur bottles, you’d be right. Yeah, I dunno either about that ;) I think this is chalked up to moving frenzy – clearly I was shoving things in boxes, thought “oh these might break, shove ‘em in with the yarn, yarn will protect it! Protect the booze!” And now here I uncover them five months later wondering exactly how sheepish I should be about hiding booze in with my yarn. I’ll let my fellow knitters decide that one!

Happy twelfth-and-final day of Christmas! It’s back to the real world. I’d like to cling to the holidays, but thank goodness I can at least cling to the knitting instead.

Okay, so I’m officially half way through my own Monkey socks too. I’m using Lorna’s Laces in Tuscany. I knit mine on size 1 DPNs, and it’s a wee bit too snug, but I can live with it. Yours look good. I love that Rooster Rock color. I have also found the baking scale to be quite helpful with top down socks. And it certainly saves me the calories.

As far as the airplane bottles in the sock yarn stash go….I’d have to say that’s an omen. Coincidences don’t happen as often as you think they do. Oh yes, this is a sign indeed. Crack ‘em open and chill. Clearly you were meant to do so. Just not on Friday morning.

The ‘Grape’ comes through, but ‘red’? Looks more a rose quartz type of colour, I love it, so is it *really* RED?

Heh, chortled at the ‘finding booze in the yarn’ due to moving… I’ve been finding all manner of strange things tucked inside softer ‘stuff’…. yarn included from our own frenzied packing :^)

Sending a continuous stream of good, soothing vibes to help out with getting that stress level down, and yes, thank be to all fibre yarny goodness for knitting.
Love those scales, I’m so …. jealous!
Monkey socks are Beauties!
Here’s to next Friday afternoon, may its arrival be swift!

I enjoy following your blog for a number of reasons, but one of them in particular makes me comment/write today. As a fellow (or perhaps, sister?) academic, I can sympathize with your teaching jitters. I thought it would be at least a little comforting to pass along some wisdom I received from my own dissertation advisor a few years ago when I began teaching. My professor told me that even after more than thirty years of teaching, he still feels nervous and experiences stage fright before a class begins. He told me that the day when he no longer feels that way will be the day he retires, because it will mean that he no longer cares about what he is doing. I remind myself of this frequently, and I hope you find this advice helpful.

Your socks look gorgeous! Love that colourway. I think it’s funny that you had booze in with your yarn- I have both of my bedroom end tables stuffed with yarn, and (out of sheer hopefulness because the box has yet to be cracked open) a box of condoms. They probably shouldn’t be in with the yarn, but I get such a kick out of seeing them every time I go into that stash drawer.